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Ferrovie dello Stato (FS): 1969-2003
Rete Ferroviaria (RFI)/Bluvia: 2003-
Page 2: 1969-
This is the second of two pages devoted to postcards and photographs of the Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) - Italian State Railways, and covers the fleet from 1969 onwards. The earlier history from 1905-68 is shown on
Page 1
.
An alphabetical list of ships
shown on this page is shown below.
The Table
beneath gives links to complete history pages on selected individual ships. Below the table is a
Fleet List
in chronological order.
Fast ferries are shown at the end
.
A Brief History of FS Train Ferries
Italian Railways have operated train ferries to the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, although the Sardinian service did not begin until 1961. railways came to Sicily in 1860, the same year that the island joined the kingdom of Italy. As early as 1872, there were serious plans to connect Sicily to the mainland via a bridge or tunnel, but only now in the 21st Century do such ideas look like being realised, with the completion of a bridge to Messina originally being planned for 2008. Construction never started, for various reasons, and a new government in 2007 cancelled the project, despite huge investment already.
The Straits of Messina which separate Sicily from the mainland are only 2 miles wide at one point, although the Messina-Villa San Giovanni route is 5 miles. The service opened in 1896 with the paddlesteamers
Scilla (1)
and
Cariddi (1)
. The service was nationalised, along with the Italian Railways, in 1905. Two similar paddlesteamers,
Sicilia
and
Calabria
, were added in the same year, followed by two larger screw steamers
Villa (1)
and
Reggio (1)
in 1909. Only
Scilla (1)
was lost in the fist war, replaced by a sister of
Villa (1)
and
Reggio (1)
in 1922, named
Scilla (2)
. All these ships were double-ended ferries with only a single railway track. The
Messina
, added in 1923, had three tracks and was diesel-powered. She loaded over the bow only. In 1931, two impressive large modern ferries were added to the fleet, the
Scilla (3)
and
Cariddi (2)
. They were amongst the largest train ferries in the world, and had advanced features such as diesel-electric propulsion with bridge controls.
An impressive new railway and maritime station was built between 1936-40, designed by Angiolo Mazzoni, more details of which are shown
on this link
. The train ferry fleet in 1939 consisted of
Reggio (1)
,
Villa (1)
,
Aspromonte (1)
(ex-
Scilla (2)
),
Messina
,
Scilla (3)
and
Cariddi (2)
. All these were lost in the war except the
Messina
. Most sank in shallow water during the Allied invasion of July/August 1943, and were later raised.
Messina
had been in Palermo at the start of the war, and avoided the conflict, being the first to return to service in 1944.
Reggio (1)
returned in 1946, but was not rebuilt and was withdrawn in 1950.
Scilla (3)
returned looking similar to her pre-war condition, but sister ship
Cariddi (2)
received a more substantial rebuild and was effectively a new ship when she returned in 1953. Two new ferries were delivered in 1948, followed by two more in the early 1960s. Between 1969-73, three large 5700grt ferries were delivered -
Iginia
,
Sibari
and
Rosalia
. A separate page is devoted to these sisters, travel on which is like a step back to an earlier era of ferry travel. A journey on one of them is highly recommended. Two further ferries, the
Scilla (4)
and
Villa (2)
joined the fleet in 1985, along with a series of smaller "bidirezionali" ferries, mainly used for cars and passengers.
The Sardinian train ferry service was introduced between Civitavecchia and Golfo Aranci in 1961, with the newly-built
Tyrsus
and
Hermaea
. At the time this was the longest train ferry route in the world, at 120 nautical miles. The slightly larger
Gennargentu
and
Gallura
were added in later. Freight ferry
Garibaldi
joined the fleet in 1982, and
Logudoro
, similar to Messina ferries
Scilla (4)
and
Villa (2)
, joined in 1989. The route subsequently became freight only and then closed, the last ferry
Garibaldi
being reported sold for scrap in 2009.
The marketing name for the state railways later became Trenitalia, and the shipping services were passed to the state-owned subsidiary
Rete Ferroviaria (RFI)
in 2003, which was marketed as Bluvia
Ships on This Page:-
Agata
(1973- )
- bidirezionali
Edra
(1978-95)
Enotria
(2002- )
- bidirezionali
Fata Morgana
(1988- )
- bidirezionali
Freccia del Peloro
(19??-?? )
- hydrofoil
Garibaldi
(1982- )
Iginia
(1969- )
Logudoro
(1988- )
Pace
(1974- )
- bidirezionali
Riace
(1983- )
- bidirezionali
Rosalia
(1973- )
Scilla (4)
(1985- )
Segesta Jet
(1998- )
- fast ferry
Selinunte Jet
(1999- )
- fast ferry
Sibari
(1970- )
Tindari Jet
(1999- )
- fast ferry
Villa (2)
(1985- )
Ships on
Page 1 - 1905-69
:-
Aspromonte (1)
(1931-1942)
Aspromonte (2)
(1948-1980)
later Secondo Aspromonte
Calabria
(1905-1927)
Cariddi (1)
(1896-1923)
Cariddi (2)
(1932-1992)
Gallura
(1968-2002)
Gennargentu
(1965-2000)
Hermaea
(1962-1999)
Messina
(1923-1986)
Mongibello
(1949-1995)
Reggio (1)
(1909-1950)
Reggio (2)
(1960-1990)
San Francesco Di Paola
(1964-1998)
Scilla (1)
(1896-1917)
Scilla (2)
(1922-1931)
Scilla (3)
(1931-1977)
Secondo Aspromonte
(1948-1980)
ex-Aspromonte (2)
Sicilia
(1905-1933)
Tyrsus
(1961-1994)
Villa (1)
(1909-1979)
Associated Pages:-
Ferrovie Stato (FS) - Page 1
- Fleet History 1905-68
Messina
- Details on Messina port and its ferries
Statens Järnvägar (SJ)
- Swedish Railways Train Ferries
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
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Table of Ship Histories
Name
Other names
Built
Iginia
1969
Sibari
1970
Rosalia
1972
FS Fleet List
Part 2 - From 1969
Iginia (1969- )
141.52m long - 5767 grt - 4 tracks - 95 cars - 1660 passengers - 18.8 knots
Iginia
was the first of three larger 4-track train & car ferries delivered between 1969-72. All remain in service in 2003. She was built by Cantieri Navali del Tirreno & Riuniti, Ancona. Her sisters are
Iginia
Sibari
and
Rosalia
and more photos of these ships, including deck and interior views of
Sibari,
are available
on this link
.
Postcard of
Iginia
entering Messina.
Enlarged view of the image from the postcard above.
Simplon Postcards
release sp1288 of
Iginia
at Messina
Photo: © Copyright Ian Boyle
Click to open larger image in new window
Photograph of
Iginia
.
Photograph of
Iginia
arriving at Messina.
Photo: © Mike Tedstone, Messina, 3rd November 1997.
Photograph of
Iginia
arriving at Messina.
Photo: © Michael Kenyon.
Photograph of
Iginia
arriving at Messina.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.
Photograph of
Iginia
arriving at Messina.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.
Sibari (1970- )
141.52m long - 5767 grt - 4 tracks - 95 cars - 1740 passengers - 18.8 knots
Sibari
was the first of three larger 4-track train & car ferries delivered between 1969-72. All remain in service in 2003. She was built by Italcantieri, Castellammare. Her sisters are
Iginia
and
Rosalia
and more photos of these ships, including deck and interior views of
Sibari,
are available
on this link
.
Postcard of
Sibari
entering Messina with an FS hydrofoil.
Enlarged view of postcard above showing
Sibari
entering Messina with an FS hydrofoil.
Postcard of
Sibari
entering Messina with naval dockyard behind.
Simplon Postcards
release sp1290 of
Sibari
at Messina
Photo: © Copyright Ian Boyle
Click to open larger image in new window
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.
Agata (1973- )
Photo: © Mike Tedstone, Messina, 3rd November 1997.
Rosalia (1973- )
141.52m long - 5767 grt - 4 tracks - 95 cars - 1760 passengers - 18.8 knots
Rosalia
was the third of three larger 4-track train & car ferries delivered between 1969-72. All remain in service in 2003. She was built by Cantieri Navali del Tirreno & Riuniti, Ancona. Her sisters are
Iginia
and
Sibari
and more photos of these ships, including deck and interior views of
Sibari
, are available
on this link
.
Simplon Postcards
release sp1289 of
Rosalia
at Messina
Photo: © Copyright Ian Boyle
Click to open larger image in new window
Rosalia
in the background, behind the bow of
Iginia
in the foreground.
Rosalia
is in the new Bluvia colours.
Fast ferry
Segesta Jet
is visible between them.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.
Rosalia
, in new Bluvia colours.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.
Pace (1974- )
76.9m long - 1310 grt - 52 cars - 400 passengers - 13 knots
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, Messina, 27th August 2003.
Edra (1978-95)
Built in 1962,
Edra
was bought to operate between Messina and Reggio Calabria. She was withdrawn in 1994, and sold the following year to Scilla Holiday Line.
Garibaldi (1982- )
Garibaldi was built in 1982 as a freight ferry for the Civitavecchia-Golfo Aranci route.
Garibaldi
at Civitavecchia
Photo: © Robert Beveridge
Click to open larger image in new window
Garibaldi
at Civitavecchia
Photo: © Robert Beveridge
Click to open larger image in new window